Microthanks

If you share thanks around the table today, and I urge you to do so, what kinds of items will you share? Large themes like freedom, country, or family? What about small things? Being thankful at the micro-level may be a new experience. Let’s try some microthanks!

We moved into a different house this month and one morning I was complaining to my sweetheart about how the shower head in the master bath was so low. I cracked my head on it several times. It’s just right for her, but I could use another foot of height. As soon as I got through griping, I said to my self, “Self! You ungrateful grouch! Aren’t you thankful for anything about this?” Yes, yes I am! I am so thankful for the blessing of a warm shower. That magical blessing of continuous warm water coming down from above me (well, it’s above me when I crouch!), making it easy and refreshing to become clean!

If you haven’t said it, you’ve heard it. Thankful for the roof over your head, yada, yada. But are you really? I remember a time when we spent winter months with little to no heat, bedroom temps dipping into the upper 30’s at night. I’ll tell you that I was very specifically thankful for the roof. We may have been cold, but we were dry. Cuddling under a pile of blankets is a whole new experience when it’s 37 degrees on the outside of the blanket pile!

As I write this, I’m thankful for my office chair! It has too many levers to count, but it is comfortable for keyboarding and leans back nicely for casual reading. What a blessing!

I’m thankful for garden hose washers. You know the flat rubber thing inside the end of the hose you screw onto the faucet? It keeps water from spraying everywhere. I buy them a bunch at a time. I was able to share one with a neighbor a couple of days ago.

I’m thankful for the crisp, brown leaves that cover our lawn. So great to kick and crunch through. And just think, each one is a disposable solar panel and ventilation system that replenishes the soil each year. Talk about intelligent design! Thank you, God!

I’m thankful for sarcastic humor that I get from colleagues and certain family members- you know who you are!

I’m thankful for Pilot G-2 07 pens! Smooth, comfortable writing.

I’m thankful for the feel of a good, well-fitting pair of leather gloves when there is a hard job to perform.

Yeah, I know some of you are thinking I’m being a bit silly about this. But I challenge you to try some microthanks today. Yes, share the big things, but let thanks for specific, little things fill your heart and mind with wonder and a new appreciation that you can experience each and every day.